Hello one and all! Wowza let me tell ya this week was a wild one. Hang on tight kids.
LA LOVE:
I told some recent converts in the El Camino Real ward (more on that in a bit) that I was from Las Vegas and they were like "Oooh!" Hahaha yes, so flashy.
This week President Cordon and Sister Cordon were in our apartment and they brought us food and hahaha it felt super weird. More on why that happened in a bit.
So as you all know, the classic American film, The Karate Kid, takes place in Reseda, California, where I currently reside. What you probably didn't know? One of the filming locations--I can't remember which one, but when I find out again I'll let you know--is in my area. WHAT. Also, the girl Daniel dates is from Woodland Hills. Which if you live here you know that's SUPER FUNNY because Woodland Hills is a bunch of rich people, and Reseda is a little more humble of a place. It all makes sense now. "That boy... from Reseda?"
EVENTS OF THE WEEK:
Sister White and I reunited with our soulmates on p-day and got ice cream at La Michoacana (our fave place) with Sister Merkley and Sister Brower! Fun to catch up with each other after five days of not living together. Also had a super great ward correlation with Brother Hernandez that night, so that's cool.
In the second to last week of the transfer, we finally had new missionary orientation! It's been a crazy transfer so it happened super late. President Cordon always gives awesome trainings. At the end the trainers went into a separate room with the assistants and we all talked about how our trainees are doing and shared advice with each other.
The craziest thing that happened this week is that Sister Pace's companion went home midcycle (int he middle of a transfer). The day we found out, Sister White and I got a phone call from Elder Messick telling us that we would now be in a trio with Sister Pace, double covering both of our areas, Reseda and El Camino Real. There are a lot of things that are crazy about that, the two biggest being that Sister Pace is our sister training leader, and that El Camino Real is a Spanish ward. So pretty much when we're in El Camino Real Sister White and I have no idea what's going on. We dropped Sister Pace's last companion off at the airport and started our trio-double-covering life. It was a crazy day let me tell ya. That night we got a phone call from President. He asked how double covering was going and we said we were working it out. He said he had something that might be able to help us. His daughter has been living with them for a few weeks because she leaves for her own mission in a week. He said that she would be willing to come live with us for a few days and be Sister Pace's companion. When I say we were shook. But Hermanita Cordon came and lived and worked with us for a few days and it was a party! She is going to be an awesome missionary. She is back with her family again now but it really helped us work and adjust to double covering. (Also heads up, when you see unfamiliar names, it's probably because they're in the El Camino Real ward.)
We helped Silvia of the El Camino Real ward find her mother's name so she could perform her baptism in the temple! It was a wonderful first temple baptism for her.
We went to the visitors' center where President Cordon and Sister Cordon were holding a special Spanish fireside. There were a ton of people there! Sister White and I had invited some friends and none of them came, but I mean we still had to be there because Sister Pace is our companion and the Spanish missionaries were singing at the event. Still glad I went though, because guess who I saw there?!?!?! HERMANA DIMOND!!!!! When I tell you I was happy to see that woman. Pretty sure we both cried a little bit, we were so happy. What a miracle indeed.
FRIENDS:
We taught Johnny, our friend we met on the street! He had been looking for a new church and he has found it here. This week we taught him the Restoration and part of the Plan of Salvation. He loved and understood everything we taught. I have never met anyone as prepared for the gospel as Johnny. He loved the Book of Mormon and said he had been wondering for ten years if Jesus Christ ever visited any other parts of the world, and was amazed and elated to learn that the Fall of Adam and Eve was part of God's plan. He even came to church this week! The sad news? He is in the Northridge area. So we introduced him to Sister Brammer and Sister Kim, but we will be keeping in touch with him.
Miguel is a member of the El Camino Real ward that the missionaries sing to every week, so just imagine Sister White and I reading Spanish hymns off of our phones and following Sister Pace's lead. We actually did pretty good.
John had requested a bible because he heard it was a good piece of English literature and wanted to study it. I told him he was in luck because I happen to study English literature, and he was right, the Bible is a beautiful piece. But I also told him it is even more than that; it is the word of God. We shared our favorite verses with him and he said it was very comforting.
David is progressing really well. We finished learning about the Plan of Salvation and he is understanding and retaining it all. He loves studying a Book of Mormon chapter after every lesson about what we had learned that day. He is looking forward to coming to church soon and loves God and Jesus Christ.
We did service for Vickie, who is in the Woodland Hills area and the El Camino Real sisters help her clean her house every week. She is so sweet! She said our willingness to love and serve is a true testament of who we are.
Read "Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives" with Steve (great talk by President Nelson, would recommend) and it really inspired him. Also went for a walk with him after and it was so fun! He was carrying his Book of Mormon the whole time and we were like Steve you're a missionary!
Son learned about the beginning of the Restoration this week. He said it all made sense and that without Jesus Christ, we're in the dark.
We talked about faith with Tony and how faith leads to a continuous growth and change. We told him it was time for him to start growing his faith and relearn the gospel. He accepted our invitation. We are teaching Tony again! We are so excited.
Today I want to share a quote from President Nelson's talk, "Come, Follow Me," about how to obtain the most important knowledge anyone could ever have--that God is our loving Heavenly Father:
"If you are not sure you even believe in God, start there. Understand that in the absence of experiences with God, one can doubt the existence of God. So, put yourself in a position to begin having experienes with Him. Humble yourself. Pray to have eyes to see God's hand in your life and in the world around you. Ask Him to tell you if He is really there--if He knows you. Ask Him how He feels about you. And then listen."
I testify to you all that God is really there, but He's just waiting for you to ask if He is. I invite you all to pray tonight to ask God if He is real, He is listening, and He is your loving Heavenly Father. Something that really concerns me is that sometimes when I pray, people frequently say at the close of the prayer, "That was beautiful." Not that prayers can never be beautiful. But I think people feel that prayers always have to sound perfectly beautiful and eloquent. But prayers are not done for show. Theya re done to tell God what's in our heart. So if it comes from the heart, whether the words are well-said or you stumble over your speech, it is a beautiful prayer. So just pour out your heart to God. Address Him, and give Him thanks, and ask Him questions, and say whatever's on your mind. Ask Him, "God, are You there? Do You love me? Are You really my Father?" I promise, if you want to know, He will make it clear to you that it is all true. I know it is all true. That is the reason I believe in and know the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Thanks and much love!
--Sister Day
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